You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
This is Juno aka JunoBean.
She turned 14 in June of this year and has been the head of our household since 2009.
In 2009 I went away to Paris for a weekend with a friend to watch the last stage of the TDF. When I came back I found out we were getting a dog.
It would be fair to say that she made having children in later years a breeze as she was a real madam for a good six months, well actually until she got a brother a year later.
We’ve had an amazing 14 years and she has been a real staple of our family with everyone loving her even her slightly grumpy nature on occasion.
She was always a very welcome addition to my Dads lap (a staunch cat lover that she helped correct).
She breezed a back surgery 5 years ago and despite selective hearing has had a good run of health until this summer.
You don’t need details and I’m welling up writing this but we have done as much as we can and the decision has been made that tomorrow we take her for one last visit to the vets.
I’m gutted but it is a decision we have made with, I dearly hope, her welling being first and foremost.
We’ve got to tell our boys tonight.
I don’t write this wanting sympathy or such like, I get that they don’t live forever. She has had a good life with us and her siblings but none of that makes it one bit easier.
We have two other miniature dachshunds that I hope will be okay when they realise the head of the pack isn’t coming home.
She will be sorely missed, she has been and will always be a good dog.
Dogs are and will always be ace, but this bit sucks.
Ah bugger!
It’s awful when we reach that stage but it’s kindest thing we can do for them after all the love and joy the give us.
Hold her, she'll appreciate you being there in those last moments. I hope you're ok...sending love.
Sadly dogs are here for a good time, not a long time. Damn well sound alike you've given her a good time.
Cherish those memories and let her feel you there all the way.
Big hugs to you and yours and belly rubs for Juno. X
Sadly, one of the downsides of having a furry family member (having done this 4 times) but I’m sure you have many great memories of Juno.
Dogs are pretty stoic when it comes to losing a member of the pack - we took our old hound for his last trip to the vets and our Labrador knew something was up with her behaviour, we did give her the chance for a final goodbye when he was heavily sedated and whilst she was a bit subdued for a few day, she was back to normal.
We currently have three at the moment, our Lab, a basset puppy and an 11 year-old foster whose owner sadly died - dogs are great.
Heart goes out to you, been there recently and god it's tough. A lot of dogs never know a loving home. You've given her that. That's all we can do, and for dogs it's enough.
Big hugs!
we are going through something similar with this lad, but a bit before time as he's only 9. We've all been a bit emotional this last weekend.
When it does get to that point in the next couple of weeks we will have the vet come to us. They say it's important for sibling pets to be there during or just after to get closure and understand why he's no longer there
And also for the kids, depending how old they are.
Best wishes for tomorrow
Dogs are and will always be ace, but this bit sucks.
Putting it mildly, but 100% this.
I'm sure you've had a great life together, you'll always have a memories.
Really, really feel for you.
It's such a horrible thing to go through and they really do become so special to us.
I was there with ours when the vet visited and put him to sleep. I was in bits on the inside but had to support my partner.
We will never forget him and every single night at dinner we raise a glass to him.
It's been nearly 4 years now.
Thinking of you. It's the right thing but it's a really hard thing.
If an afternoon appointment it's a chip shop sausage and chips lunch and all the stuff she loves before you go. It's an absolute heart breaker and you have to keep it all in until she's gone.
All the best with tomorrow.
Hugs and lots of love from household sandboy. Our last Beardie has been gone nearly two years now and I still miss him every day. I feel your pain.
Will be thinking of you tomorrow, gutted.
We had to take our boy to the vets in May this year, it was heartbreaking. I've never had a dog before and he was our first addition when we moved i in together. Remember the good times and the best life you had together.
Toby
Thinking of you tomorrow. Dachshund’s are the most adorable and infuriating dogs in equal measure. Ours turns four in a few weeks and we can’t imagine our life without him.
Really feel for you. Done it several times now.
Take her, hold her, comfort her.
Will be thinking of you both.
Sounds like Juno was fortunate to have an amazing friend too. Take care - sending love and hugs x
So sorry to hear this. Will be thinking of you. Sounds like you had 14 wonderful years with her.
Sad to read my friend. Your pal had a much loved and good life though and that's all any of us can ask for, human or dog.
I'm so sorry to hear your news.
I've done this a few times and it is the most difficult and upsetting, but necessary, thing I've ever done or can imagine that I will ever do.
Please stay with her to the end.
All the best for tomorrow. It won't be easy but as a dog owner it is the ultimate responsibility all dog lovers have to face up to. It is also in many ways the most loving thing you can do if a dog is starting to really suffer.
It was 2018 when my last dog had his final appointment with the vet and even now thinking about it breaks my heart but I also know it was absolutely the best thing for him. For weeks afterwards there were some days when I couldn't face going home from work to an empty house. Just make sure you stick up a few decent pictures of the old girl around the house; the constant reminders of happier times really do help.
If conditions permit, a last few hours visiting favourite places and indulging in doggy treats is great way of spending those last days. I’ll also add, I’ve bawled my eyes out a few times with a dog in my lap at the vets for those last moments, but it really is the best thing you can do. Ask for a pre-med for Juno if she’s at all anxious at the vets - most vets are really good.
Sorry to hear this. I went through this last week. It sucks. But is a relief to see them at peace, and know that there is no more suffering.
It's a tough one. At some point it need to be about them and not about you. Murf was a big fella and went well into his 14th year. But we knew it was time and the vets came to us which was so much better than having to put him in the car for the final triop.
We lost another of our labs when she was only 3 and that was properly traumatic. But we'd never be without a dog.
Hope it goes as well as it can tomorrow. Super tough times, but you've had 14 years of awesome dog and that counts for a lot.
Aah, crap. Last pet I lost was a bloody goose, Charlie. The big daft sod let the toddlers drag him around by the neck, and he absolutely adored them for it. He gave back so much love. 6yrs ago and I still miss him as the sun goes down on the paddock. Big man hug for you.
I hope tomorrow goes as well as can be expected. You are doing this truly difficult thing specially for Juna to repay her for all those years of championship and joy that she gave you. It is so hard.
Thank you all - love has been felt.
We are just back from the vets.
Numb is an understatement. We were with her to the end sending love. It was super quick and she wasn’t distressed.
Thank you.
Dammit. Never a good thing to read or experience (went through this with my boy three weeks ago and still welling up about it now).
I can't offer anything other than a virtual hug and reassurance that these decisions are always hard and for the best. Dogs give all the love to us and that means them leaving us is really, really difficult.
Run free Juno.
isnt having pets both the best and worst thing ever.
We lost our Cat to a car last year, i still think about him everyday.
Sending love.
I’m gutted but it is a decision we have made with, I dearly hope, her welling being first and foremost.
Its a kind and brave decision to make.
She is at peace now with no suffering.
I will never forget taking Paddy the Most Annoying Patterdale in the World (tm) for a last sniff around the trees on the way to the vet. It was a lovely morning and the poor old boy kinda just stood there with his nose in the air for a bit - he was pretty crook by then and I was pretty much carrying him, and he just looked at me and I'm not ashamed to say I lost it a bit.
Dogs always get you in the end, the bastards.
Shit bit of having pets. Lost my patterdale last year. For someone whos only emotions are sarcasm and anger it broke me.
Dogs... not here for a longtime here for a goodtime!
Having an animal is a privilege. I have loved and do love the animals who have become part of our family. The best thing we do for them is giving them the love they deserve - and they return so much more to us.
Parting with them is the price for having the benefit for having them in our lives. I am thinking of you and you family and what you will be going through. Take care letmetalktomark.
I've had to skip right to the bottom of this thread but.
You have Juno a great life and you loved and were loved. Have a sob it hurts.
Sounds like Juno had a great life and you’ve done the best thing. Just remember all of the good times.
Your doing the right thing.
Lost ours just over a year ago and I still think of him nearly everyday.
It took a couple of months to stop looking to see him lying in his usual spot.
We still haven't took another on and I'm not sure that we will.
Fully aware today is a hard day for you and the family. Be kind to yourselves, you did right by that little pooch and there's no doubt she knew exactly how loved she will always be.
Big hugs to you all.
All of us with dogs know this day is coming.
None of us want to think about it.
Big hug, fella.
RIP Juno.
I lost Paddy, my Springer, last night. He died in my arms surrounded by his family.<br /><br />:-(
Ffs, 3 posts in and I'm in tears. We don't have pets, it broke my heart when I had to bury my rescue Canary last year after 11 and a bit years of deafening me. No idea how I'd cope with losing a dog or a cat.
RIP Juno. She'd had a great life by the sounds of it.